bennett



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. E. BENNETT.- MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

No. 511,496. m ma Dec. 2 1893-.

3 @z siifi a O Fill/villa!!! 2%3 v UNITED "STATES PATENT .OFFICEQ WALTER E BENNETT, OF Bos oN, MAssAcI-IUsET s, AssIcNoR To THE MORLEY BUTTON SEWING MACHINE COMPANY, oE SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR sEwmc. ,ONBUTTONS.

sPEoIFI oA'rIoN forming-part of I etters Patent No. 511,496, dated December 26,1893.

Application filed July 7 1893." Serial No. 479.784- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER E. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Mas sachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements'in Mechanism for Presenting Bute tons to theNeedles of Button-Sewing Machines or other material or fabric, the object being to provide a cheap machine, one which maybe easily understood and manipulated by un-' skilled operators, and one which shall pro vide simple means to enable a person to sew on buttons of unequal spacing by moving the fabric by hand, obviating the costly construction of feeding devices, and for permitting the operator to so readily control the machine, especially with respect to the devices for delivering the buttons to the sewing mechanism, that he may effect as many stitchings through and through the shank of a single button as may be desired whereby certain buttons of a row, which are likely to be subjected to the greatest strain may receive the requisite number of stitches.

The invention more particularly pertains to the Vibratory button-trough in conjunction with the specially provided devices for starting and stopping the machine which have direct connections with said trough; and the invention consists in the combination or arrangement ofparts hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation of a button-sewing machine embodying my improvements, the driving-pulley and a part of the clutch mechanism being left off therefrom to avoid covering other parts, the position of the button-trough, when holding a button-shank under the needle, being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 illustrates the driving-pulley, a part of the driving-shaft, the clutch, and the clutch-lever, as seen looking from the rear end of the machine forward. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the lower end of the button trough, the slotted front or cover in which the eyes of the buttons engage, being removed. I

pulley, E, is'fitted to run loosely and continuously on the shaft by belt, said pulley having a clutch-bolt, F, secured thereto whose inher end projects, as'shown in Fig. 3, beyond the inner face of the pulley for engagement with the pending arm, 2, of a yoke-clutch, 3, which is pivoted to said shaft, D, as shown in Figs. 1, 2,'and 3, said yoke rotating as one with the shaft. A collar, 4, is placed on said shaft between the arms of said clutch to maintain the latter in proper operative position so that its arm, 2, may swing freely toward the adjoining side of the driving-pulley.

A clutch-lever, 5, is hung by one end at a, on the machine, and extends under the pending end of said clutch-arm, 2, and between the latter and the adjoining side of the driving-wheel, E, as shown in Fig. 3. A'spring,

v6, is applied under said lever, 5, to cause it to be held, normally, in an upward position, or that shown in Fig. 1, whereby, as illustrated in Fig. 3, it holds the arm, 2, of the clutch, 3, away from the bolt, F, of the driving-wheel, E, until the operator shall, by operating the starting treadle, as below described, set the machine in motion. The said lever, 5, is operated by any suitable starting treadle, as 7, which is arranged,preferably, to be pressed downward by the footof the operator, to set the machine in motion, as indicated in dotted lines. connected to the lower end of a shipping-rod, 8, and the latter extends freely through the end of said lever, 5, as shown. A lifting spring, 10, is applied to said shipping or connecting-rod which acts to return it, and its connected parts, to its normal, or upward position'at the pleausre of the operator, after it shall have been drawn downward, as aforesaid. A collar, 9, is placed adjustably'on the rod, 8, and serves for engagement with the end of said lever, 5, to move it downward when said rod so moves.

An elbow lever, 12, is pivotally'hung, on

' the rear end of the machine, as shown, through the horizontal arm,16,of which said connecting-rod, 8, freely passes, and when the said One end of said treadle is pivotally loose ,collar, 14, thereon, and between said.

head and lastnamed collar is placed a spring, 15, which is stiif enough to carry arm 16, downward, and serves to prevent the rebound of said arm, 16, upward, when the rod, 8, is permitted to move suddenly upward. Said 1o elbow lever has, upon its vertical arm a camprojection, 17, which is adapted for engagement with a circular cam, 18, on the periphcry of the cam-wheel, 19, this last named wheel being fixed upon the said driving-shaft,

D. In order to provide suitable means, if desired, for positively limiting the vibratory movements of the vertical arm of the elbow lever, 12, a horizontal arm, 20, is secured to the machine, on which are two rigidly fixed 2o stop-pins, 0, 0, between which the upper end of said vertical arm moves. a

On, or near, the head, K, or other suitable part, of the machine, is attached, preferably, by pivoting its upper end thereto, a buttontrough, h, in such manner that the lower end of said trough may be moved toward and from the needle of the machine, to the end that the eye of a button held in the lower end of said trough may be brought automatically under the point of said needle, and that aftera sewing-onoperation through said button-eye shall have taken place, whereby the button shall be attached to the fabric or leather, the said lower end of the button-trough shall automatically move away from the needle, leaving the button either on the needle, or where it shall have been sewed on, as aforesaid. To eifect the said button-trough movement toward and from the needle, 22, of the machine, the button-trough, h, is here shown as pivotally attached by its upper end at a, to the said head of the machine, and a connectingrod, 21,.pivotally attached by one end to said trough; and by its opposite end to the vertical arm of said elbow-lever, serves to so unite said trough with said lever, that the said vibratory movements of the latter impart the above described movements to said buttontrough, to the end that buttons are delivered automatically, one by one, to said needle. As an aid to the sure and quick retirement of the lower end of the trough from the attached button and the needle, it ispreferable that a spring, 2', be applied to bear by its free end against the rear side of the trough, the oppositeend of said spring being fixed to the head, K. The said button-trough consists, substantially, of a longitudinal section of a tube, 10, internally of suitable contour, to adapt it to receive the head of a common shank-button, such as are used on shoes and other articles of apparel, and a thin metallic covering-plate, v, in two like sections, secured over the button-head channel in said semi-tubular part, 20, but suificiently separatedto leave 2.1. longitudinal button-eye slot between their adjoining borders, as elearly shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4t is a sectional View of the lower end of said semi-tubular part of the button-trough, showing the positions of buttons held therein in suitable manner for presentation to a needle, as above described. A short, flexible,

light spring, 0, is attached at the lowerextremity of said trough, which serves to prevent thelower button of the group from dropping or being shaken therefrom.

The buttons areplaced'in the trough at the opening, f, near the upper end thereof, and they take the positions of those shown in the straight part of the trough in Figs. 1 and 4, that is, with their eyes, 0, inthe slot of the cover of the trough and consequently invertical planes, but as they move downward they pass through the curved lower end of the trough, and in so moving, they are gradually turned so that the eye of the lowerbutton of the group is brought to a horizontal plane, or so that the opening through the eye is opposite andunder the point of the needle, 22, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. l also clearlyillustrates the last-named position of theishank of the lower button. trough is of such dimensions as to provide for the free downward movement of the buttons therein, but said movement isfurther rendered sure and unfailingby the quick back ward and forward movement of thetrough, actuated by the above described mechanism, whereby it is sufficiently shaken to secure said button movement, which thus becomes automatic.

The needle-bar, 23, is connected with the driving-shaft, D, of the machine, whereby the requisite vertical reciprocating movements are imparted thereto, and to the needle, 22. The mechanism here shown for so actuating the needle-bar, consists of a pitman, 25,having a crank, eccentric, or other suitable connection with said driving-shaft, andfa lever, 24, pivotally hung on the frame or needlearm of the machine, and having its extremities pivotally connected one to said pitman, and one to said needle-bar.

Any suitable or well known sewing mechanism maybe employed in the machine herein described, for proper cooperation with the above-described button-feeding devices, and needle, thelatter being preferably of the class commonly called hook needles. i

The operation of the above-described devices in presenting buttons, one by one, from a trough, automatically to the needle of a button sewing machine, is as follows: Thenorma-l position of the button-trough is that shown in Fig. 1, that is, swung away from the needle.

The said trough is filled with buttons by placing them therein, one by one, by hand, as described. The fabric or leather on which thebuttons are to be sewed is then held on the table or work-plate, B, under the needle, 22. The operator then presses on the treadle, 7, with the foot, and draws rod, 8, downward, and then lifts his foot off. The result of said downward movement of rod, 8, is'as The button channel in the follows: Lever, 5, is swung, causing clutch, 3,

- to operate and shaft, D, to rotate. The needle-bar andneedle are thus set in motion. Elbow-lever, 12, swings, drawing the lower end of the button trough, and abutton to the needle. The cam, 18, on wheel, 19, now has its movement in contact. with the projection, 17, on said elbow-lever and thus acting as a guard to prevent the return swing of the el bow lever, through said rod, 8, and collar,9, thereon, holds the clutch-lever, 5, down, and the button-trough toward the needle until the shaft, D, shall have rotated sufflciently to effeet the attachment of the button to the fabric. The cam, 18, then clears the cam, 17, on elbow-lever, .12, and the latterthe buttontrough, (leaving a button on the fabric) the clutch-lever, the treadle, and the connectingrod, (by action of springs, 10,6, and 1,) all resume, automatically, their normal positions, or those in which they are shown in Fig. 1. The fabric, if several buttons are to be sewed on in a row as upon a shoe, is then moved along by hand under the needle to space the buttons, and the treadle and its'connected parts are again operated as before, and so on, until the requisite number of buttons shall have'been sewed on. The material may be moved back and forth under the needle, by hand, to cause the stitch to be sewed around the button-shank, or suitable stitch-feedingmechanism may be employed for that purpose.

A foot-treadle, as described, constitutes the most convenient means for starting the machine and for bringing the operative parts instantly to position, and setting them in motion for sewing on buttons, for the useof the treadle'leaves the hands of the operatorfree for manipulating the work under the needle, but if preferred, the treadle may be dispensed with, and the connection, or shipping-rod, 8, be operated by one hand of the operator, by simply pushing it downward and then releasing it. Y

WhatI claim as my invention is- 1. In a machine for sewing shank but-tons onto fabric, the combination with the usual sewing mechanism comprising the needle and driving connections therefor and a pulley to be driven by power adapted for a clutch engagement with said driving connections, and a foot-operated device for throwing the pul ley and sewing mechanism into clutch engagement,the same being adapted to'au-- tomatically unclutch,- the button trough mounted on the machine for avibratory movement toward and from the needle, and a me dium of direct conne-ctionbetween the clutch operating device and the trough for swinging the trough toward the needle upon the actuating movement of the cutch-operating device, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for sewing shank buttons to fabric, the combination with the button trough mounted on the machine for a vibratory movement toward and from theneedle, of a treadle, an elbowleverpivotally mounted on the machine, a rodconnecting one member thereof to the'trough,a draft-rod connecting the'treadle and the other member of the ']ever,'and a spring exerting a pressure to bring the trough to its position removed from the needle and said mediums of connectionto corresponding positions, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for sewing shank buttons onto fabric, the combination with a pulley to .be driven by power and having clutching devices whereby it may be placed in clutch engagement with the driving connection for the sewing mechanism, and a foot-operated de vice for throwing the pulley into its clutch engagement, a wheel having a concurrent rotation with the said driving connection, and V I t onto fabric, the combination with the buttontion, 18, which'is adapted to so engage the.

aforesaid intermediate connection as to prevent the retiring movement of the trough during a portion of the sewing operation, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for sewing shank buttons onto fabric, the combination with a shaft, D, and the pulley, E, loose thereon, and the wheel, 19,fixed on the shaft and having the expanded or cam member, 18, covering a circumferential portion thereof, clutch members between the pulley and shaft, and the operating lever, 5, for forcing them into clutching engagement, the rod, 8, vertically movable, with the treadle for depressing it, and with the spring, 10, for elevating it, and having a THOMAS E. HANLON. 

